Let's pretend your significant other calls, stating they are bringing someone home for dinner in an hour and a half. How do you react when time is short and you have a laundry list of things to be done? There's a house to get clean, a meal to prepare and possibly shopping or kids to handle. What do you do first? What's for dinner? Are you a "stasher" or is your house already clean? Hear our ideas and leave us yours after the jump!
We saw this question asked earlier this week over at Hip Domestics. And although it sounds a little 1950's the answers had us in giggles and wondering what we would do ourselves in a pinch. At some point in time everyone has an unexpected guest
Hopefully The Cure has most people well organized so picking up wouldn't be a major effort, although we've been known to stash large projects that might be consuming the better part of our dining room table in laundry baskets behind closed doors in an impromptu situation (shh don't tell). We always have quick meals on hand thanks to The Kitchn and even have a folder full of them just in case! We're also pretty sure that vacuuming floors and furniture would be done (we have dogs) and fresh flowers would be involved!
(Image: Cheeseslave)
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Love that picture!!!
my house is relatively organized, but short-notice guest to-do list includes:
1. quick clean of the bathroom and hang a fresh handtowel.
2. find a quick appetizer for the guests to munch on while i finish preparing the main course.
3. put out fresh greens or flowers on the table.
4. turn on some energizing music and get cooking!
my favorite meals are informal and fragrant, so i work of those pretenses for guests.
i'd work on tidying (if necessary); the guests would obviously know that their arrival wasn't planned much in advance so dinner would have to wait.
oh... the photo made me laugh. very "judy garland tries to spell c.o.o.k."
My grandma gave me this sage advice: in a pinch, start sauteeing some onions, from the smell, they'll think you've been slaving away in the kitchen all day. While my onions work their magic, I cram everything in the bedroom, vacuum, and do a quick wipedown of the bathroom. Pasta and salad are always a good, quick meal that you can prepare while you chat with your guests.
Haha, firstly, the significant other would get a stern talking to. He knows I'm all about planning ahead, even though I do work best under pressue. And to presume that I'm just going to magically have dinner ready in an hour and a half... yeah no. BUT, if this was the 1950s, then I would start with cleaning. That's the hardest and takes the most time, only because I'm a perfectionist and would spend days cleaning one room if I wasn't paying attention. Dinner is no problem, assuming the kitchen is stocked. All you need is meat, veggies, and rice or pasta... and wine or beer. Done!
Most people who are welcome upon short notice are either for playdates or they're close friends/relatives whereby I don't worry about the toys that are out, etc.
I try to keep it generally neat though. The bedroom becomes the repository for stuff in progress though (ie-right now we have a couple of boxes full of stuff to take to the storage locker, some Ikea stuff we just bought but haven't put up yet, and mid-day pre-the baby's nap there's often a load or 2 of laundry awaiting put away.)
We always keep a few meals in the freezer, like lasagna and quiche; I like to do once a month cooking actually, so sometimes there are 20 or more meals to choose from. I usually have appetizer-worthy stuff as well. Dessert I often need to make something easy/quick or it's my standard response for when a guest asks what they can bring.
Clean the bathroom, hide all the papers and magazines and clean the floors. Cook.
Cleaning the bathroom is key.
I'd tell my S.O. to make a detour to a restaurant and to buy me flowers before he thought about making an appearance at home.
Also, what the heck kind of job would a person have where his boss comes home with him for dinner? That's insane.
I keep the living room clean at all times, and there are always frozen meals in the freezer and appetizers in the fridge. So getting ready requires just a quick clean of the bathroom, pressing a button on the microwave, and opening a bottle of wine.
If you set things up to entertain at a moment's notice, you'll do it a lot. And it's fun.
Entertaining is only a hassle if you rarely do it.
I have to agree with kristian, clean the bathroom!
Then order out!
Wow... I don't think I'd panic at the idea.
I'd probably make a quick pasta dinner or a stirfry. Both are easy and quick and can use any veggies/meat that we may have at the time.
Once I had dinner figured out, then I would think about cleaning and tidying up. Set the table and relax!
pasta, canned tomatoes, onions, garlic, and zucchini is my go to fast, delicious and hearty meal!
i live in a little studio, so if people are coming over, make the bed, clothes in the hamper, and quick vacuum run and thankfully my friends know and love me enough to look past my mess at times...
Hour and a Half? Order some carry-out Thai from the place down the road and do the dishes. House is pretty clean generally, but I'm a single 22yo chick who lives 95% on PB&J and Cereal. There is never anything to eat in my apartment.
But I can't imagine anyone my BF would 'bring over' that would be upset by the cleanliness of my apartment or eating take-out for dinner.
I try to keep it all clean around the place, day to day. Clutter looks terrible in a teeny apartment. I'd definitely zero in on the bathroom, making sure it's spic and span. I live on the same block as a fantastic Thai restaurant, so I can always have an awesome takeout meal inside of 15 minutes. But I've almost always got frozen stir fry veggies, rice and some precooked shrimp or flash frozen salmon on hand. Microwave defrost the fish or run some cold water on the shrimp and I'm ready to go. Can always make a nice glaze with soy sauce, siracha and a little mirin.
If it's really last minute and they are friends of mine, I'll usually tell them to pick up a bottle of wine or any last minute ingredients I might need.
My housekeeping motto is "never more than an hour from clean." The wipe down of the bathroom is the first on the list, clean towels, straighten the living room, and a quick vacuum. As far as dinner, this is where the monthly menu really pays off. If I can't make that days meal that quickly then I'd just look ahead and borrow one from later in the month.
And really, if your husband is asking for you help with this it must be important. Buck up. It's part of being married.
i came home to find out my husband had invited not one, not two, but six to come over for dinner after an activity one night. they hustled out to the store to collectively decide what to cook, while i picked up my Outbox (in the middle of the open plan living room) and stashed it back in the closet, picked up the dog poop in the yard in case there was a desire to be outside, swished the toilet with some cleaner, lit a candle in the bathroom, emptied the dishwasher, and set a table for eight. it wasn't that big a deal, but i definitely like to have more time AND it took me another two weeks to face the closet.
Company would either be getting what I planned to make for dinner or we'd be getting carry out.
I'd just try to give everything a rough cleaning and what I couldn't get done, I'd hide (like sitting the laundry basket on the dryer and closing off the doors to the laundry closet).
Bring it! My husband would never do this, but I'm notorious for inviting people back to the house myself. Our house isn't pristine, but it's tidy-ish and the bath is usually spic and span. As far as food, so long as they are willing to be adventurous, I can come up with something. Risotto is one of my favorite things that people think is impressive on short notice - I don't think it actually needs the kind of attention it's often given and it's forgiving on ingredients. And we always have lots of beverages on hand.
Well, no one ever comes to Queens (not even my own mother....), but if I had to have people come over relatively unannounced I'd be okay.
Tidy up-definitely number 1. Throw lots of stuff in the closet and pray no one opens it! Dust the furniture, vaccum the rugs and go over the bathroom quickly.
I'd probably go with the pasta dinner, too. Pasta, frozen spinach, chopped canned tomatoes, and white beans are staples and those, combined with some grated cheese, garlic, and olive oil would make a tasty enough meal. I generally keep at least one box of brownie mix in the pantry all the time. Easy enough to make and it can cook while the rest is happening.
Music is key! I love Pandora and my "Gypsy Kings" station is a go to for entertaining.
I would:
a) Pick up the phone and order dinner to be delivered, then
b) Throw random junk into closets/storage, check the state of the bathroom, close the door to the kitchen, and then
c) Change my clothes and pour myself a large glass of wine in preparation.
We would have to clean up after our parrots so I need notice and not knowing how to cook does not help either.
hummus and carrots - appetizer -or whatever veggie bits I have! drizzle some evoo on top.
Make breakfast for dinner from things in the house - eggs, pancakes, crepes, (who doesn't have eggs & flour?) - or omelettes and some salad. ..a quiche is also an easy fix up and always impresses.
Because my apartment is tiny, and I am a tad ODC, it is nearly always ready for guests in a moments notice. My shopping also happens every Friday, after I have made my weekly meal plan/menu. So unless it's Friday afternoon that the unexpected company comes-a-knockin' I will have a meal that I can put together rather quickly. Although meals for more than 3 would be a combination of days, since I shop only for 2.
It takes me about 30 minutes to prepare for a guest to come and I do the following:
1. Open bottle(s) of wine to let it breathe
2. Light candle
3. Wipe down bathroom counters
4. Wipe down leather sofa (white westie fur)
5. Take out the garbage
6. Put away laptop
7. Vacuum
8. Start preparing dinner
Yay!
I would seriously re-evaluate why I was with that significant other.
An hour and a half? He would be soooo dead! Our living room also doubles as a project room, so quick clean-up isn't always an option.
If absolutely pressed, I would start with a quick wipe-down of the bathroom, scoop the kitty litter, and hang a fresh towel.
I would cruise through the living room with a large wicker laundry basket to pick up anything that didn't belong there and stash it in the bedroom, then quickly sweep.
Usually we keep something on hand for quick dinners though the cupboard has been a bit bare of late, since my partner was laid off in March, and we haven't been doing the big grocery-stockups. I'd probably whip up some hummus so that people had something to nosh on while I cooked dinner. I usually have a can of garbanzos, tahini, lemon and garlic on hand, and I can pick herbs from my garden. I'd probably go with marinara and pasta and serve a garden salad.
And he would still be in BIG trouble.
For me an hour and a half is the norm for a three course six person meal plus light cleaning and sorting. If I don't know what I'm cooking I preheat the oven and turn on an (electric) burner to boil water. I might also pull out the rotisserie and get it hot, then I do a quick inventory of the fridge and freezer.
A couple nights ago I had three guests coming in an hour and a half. After turning everything on as above I just went for it: dropped potatoes in the water. Got onions going low on the stove, and put four frozen lamb chops sealed in plastic into a luke warm bowl of water.
I washed fresh spinach and found some cold tongue in the fridge I'd made the day before. I also saw an under-ripe mango, corn on the cob (Very lucky) and some very old cherry tomatoes.
So once I had a plan I started cleaning my loft-style apt. So bed, clothes, everything had to be sorted out - took about 15 minutes. Returned to the kitch. Shook the covered onions, turned down potatoes, and started cutting mango, corn, and tomatoes into a bowl.
The chops, defrosted on the outside got tossed into a fish rack, and the whole thing covered in olive oil and then into the rotisserie.
Potatoes (not done) were taken out, sliced, went into a serving bowl and strewn with the onions herbs and some garlic with a little bit of cream sloshed into the bottom - then put into the oven. I opened and drank sparkling vino verde, did some dishes, and figured out I could use a feta herb spread as the sauce for the mango salad salsa. Spinach got triple washed and onto the hot potato burner to be blanched with lemon juice, pernod, and when that wasn't any good, I tossed in a small amount of molasses, which helped.
8 min to go: Plate the salsa, rest the lamb, stove goes off, but potatoes stay in. Kitch gets a quick clean, esp. the floor. Spinach is ready to get hot but is just waiting. Tongue comes out and I find some blanched almond slivers. which will garnish. I also find an old mint jelly, which the lamb gets tossed in when the chops come out. And is plated with potatoes gratin and some sprigs of mint.
The outside buzzer calls my cell, I buzz them in, and I throw on a fresh shirt. The GF brings an amazing lemon tart she made including crust in the same time, and we look (and eat) like stars!
Ratcheting it up a bit to a 40 minute challenge would be a bit more exciting...
Eh! I make something, they put up with it. Too bad.
Ehh.. Easy..
- Cleanup (15 mins): Our apartment is generally spotless so 5 minutes to make sure everything is in their places (it's very easy when everything HAS a place, folks!) And maybe another 10 minutes to give the surfaces in living room and bathroom a quick wipe with a nice smelling cleaner - they are the first things guests are likely to see, so this will make them think your apartment is spotless (first impressions count!!).
- Quick grocery store run (20 minutes): I usually plan my meals to the day, so it's unlikely I'll have enough meat defrosted for company.. Also, you can also get fresh marinated meat or cut vegetables to reduce prep time! Fresh fruit or flowers for table centerpiece (I prefer fruit so you can eat them too lol)
- Cooking (45 minutes): A quick stir-fry and rice; or pasta; or grill.. doesn't really take that long really.. just putting in extra time just in case yanno..
10 minutes left for buffer time or just for you to chill over a nice ice tea and freshen up...
Why is SO, who made the last minute invitation, not making the plan for how to deal with it? Why would I be running around to do the entertaining? I might suggest places SO can stop and pick up suitable takeaway to serve, if SO hasn't thought through other plans...
I live for these moments...it totally justifies my insistence that weekly housekeeping chores get done in a timely manner. My husband knows that spontaneous, stress-free socializing is the reason we vacuum every freakin' Sunday. We both had memories of our parents running around in panic when people "stopped by".
And the food issue is a lot easier now that we finally have a freezer! Before that, the pressure cooker was a godsend for a quick chili or curry.
hahaha Rolen the Great, I'm a 25-year-old girl who lives 90% on cereal. And I love it! So yeah, kitchen's usually clean.
As soon as I'd find out, I'd be on the phone placing a food order while wiping up the bathroom. And then maybe a quick dusting/vacuuming of the living room. The whole thing would probably take 45 minutes (I believe in putting things back in their places as soon as I'm done using them)(um, except for my clothes when I'm trying to decide what to wear in a hurry, but I can just shove them into the closet if I'm in a hurry).
I've learned one thing from my mom, as long as you're a confident hostess then people will eat just about anything in a pinch.
First, I'd ask him to take that someone someplace else b/c the place is not ready... or use the sick excuse. So, If we can't divert, then the answer to your question.
Delivery. House is already clean, so I'd light some incense and clean the bathroom. Put the dogs away and start getting dressed. Lay out a quick change for the S.O. and their hygene products to freshen up in a hurry.
An hour and a half is a lot of time!